Complete Story

02/02/2018

AzCA E-News - HB 2406 is Dead

Dear Member,

This legislation session is shaping up to be one of extreme promise or disappointment and that is why we are reaching out to you today to support or oppose the following bills:

ØSB 1160: This bill will ban Conversion Therapy (also known as Reparative Therapy) to be conducted by any discipline of therapy, including physicians, psychologists, and behavioral health professionals. This bill supports our current code of ethics of “Do No Harm” via ensuring no undue harm would come to a minor in the LGBTQ community. For complete details of the bill, please click here.

ØSB 1246:This bill will improve the efficiency and restructure the application process for candidates who have met the licensing requirements of another state or federal jurisdiction and have been licensed without disciplinary action for at least three years to be licensed in Arizona at the same practice level.By doing so, these changes will make it easier for professionals from other states to become licensed and provide critical behavioral health services in Arizona.For complete detail, please click here or you can access the Fact Sheet - SB1246.

ØHB 2406: This bill intends to repeal and dismantle the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.We have partnered with the American Counselors Association to spread the word in hopes that the impact of how this bill will affect our clients, community, and all behavioral health professionals will not fall on deaf ears. For complete details of this bill, please click here; or you can access the Fact Sheet here.

oUPDATE: Email statement from Heather Carter, AZ Legislative District 15, Chairman of the Health Committee: “I value the role the Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners plays in protecting the public by ensuring the most qualified individuals are licensed to provide counseling and therapy services and by providing a mechanism for the public to submit complaints against any bad behavior. Therefore, I will not give HB 2406 a hearing in the House Health committee.”

Please take a moment to send your message to your State Representative to support SB 1160 and SB 1246.We recommend calling his or her office, or you can find contact info on their individual webpages. Here is the Find My Legislator site: https://www.azleg.gov/findmylegislator/. Your voice of opposition to HB 2406 was heard loud and clear and this bill is dead. Thank you for supporting our efforts to kill this bill in such a quick and timely fashion.Awesome work!

As always, we are here to answer any questions you have and hope you will join us in advocating for our clients and profession.